The principal secretary of the health and family welfare department, Narayan Swaroop Nigam, has asked the health department to set up 10-15 bed isolation wards for Covid-19 patients in all hospitals.
Mr Nigam visited the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) and held a meeting with health department officials here today.
“He told us there should be arrangements of 10-15 bedded isolation facilities in hospitals,” said the officer on special duty for public health in north Bengal, Dr Susanta Kumar Roy.
Sources at the health department said that in view of the rising Covid cases, the health department wanted to reinstate its infrastructure for Covid-19 treatment.
The number of Covid beds was brought down at the NBMCH, as most of them had been lying vacant following a sharp decline in the number of cases. During the previous three Covid waves, the NBMCH had prepared units of around 242 beds in Covid blocks-I and II. The authorities, however, have reserved the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) and isolation ward for the Covid patients. There are around 11 beds in the RICU, and 22 in the isolation ward.
“The infrastructure for Covid-19 treatment is in place. It will be reinstated once it is required. However, we are hopeful those will not be required,” Dr Roy said.
According to him, Mr Nigam discussed stroke management, in coordination with the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences (BIN) , which is known as a hub for the treatment of stroke patients coming to the district hospitals under the telemedicine system.
“He has advised us about taking some steps like stroke management. We may seek advice from the BIN,” Dr Roy said.
Sources said Mr Nigam also wondered about the status of the proposed super specialty block at the NBMCH.
Dr Roy, NBMCH principal Prof Indrajit Saha, superintendent Dr Sanjay Mallik, superintendent the of Jalpaiguri Government Medical College and Hospital Dr Kalyan Khan, chief medical officers of health of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, among others, were present in the meeting today, it is learnt.

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